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Zetron helps PSE update radio dispatch equipment

Redmond-based Zetron, a provider of mission-critical communications solutions worldwide, recently participated in a major update of radio dispatch equipment for Puget Sound Energy (PSE).

PSE provides electricity to more than a million customers and natural gas to 750,000 customers in a 6,000-square-mile area that comprises the largest metropolitan region north of San Francisco and west of Chicago.

As a result of the update, PSE now has a 75-position, state-of-the-art communications solution that combines Zetron's Advanced Communications (AcomEVO) console system with Tait's MPT 1327 trunked radio infrastructure. The solution meets narrowbanding requirements, supports PSE's current operations and remote sites and will allow PSE to expand as the need arises. It is also designed to support the rapid deployment of additional remote command-and-control operations if and when they're ever needed.

"Zetron's ongoing partnership with us has been instrumental in helping us move forward with our communications technology," said PSE senior radio engineer Jiri Sykora. "It has also given us great confidence in Zetron's products and services."

Because of the implementation's extensive scope, it was completed in four phases.

The first involved installing a fully redundant AcomEVO system in the main communications center — the Eastside operations office — and connecting it temporarily to PSE's legacy radio infrastructure. Tait's MPT infrastructure was also installed but not activated at this stage.

For the second phase, a near-mirror image of the AcomEVO system installed in main center was set up in PSE's backup control center and the new MPT infrastructure was brought online.

During the third phase, 13 fully functional remotes were set up at PSE's nine sites located throughout Western Washington.

During the fourth and final phase, eight consoles for PSE’s Gas Dispatch and Gas Control operations were brought online.

The project, which was completed Sept. 9, 2013, has been hailed as a success by all of the parties involved.

In addition to making PSE narrowbanding compliant, the Acom EVO system allows PSE to integrate additional resources onto the console screens and expand as the need arises.

"PSE's AcomEVO system not only functions seamlessly with Tait's digital trunking infrastructure, but it supports a string of remote sites throughout PSE’s region and is capable of supporting more," said Zetron president and CEO, Ellen O’Hara. "AcomEVO is an effective platform for organizations such as PSE that require a feature-rich solution designed to meet current and evolving requirements."

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